LurcherGirl

The obedience season has started again! So I guess we are posting again... Jesse and I did three matches at the beginning of this year and each time came 1st or 2nd in Beginners, which we were very pleased about. Two weeks ago, we did our first open show of the season, entering Beginners and Novice. We were in the middlefield of Novice, which I was very happy about as it was only our second go at Novice. However, in Beginners we scooped a rosette again by coming 4th! We were well pleased with that and it was a nice start to the season. Anyone else out and about again in the obedience show circuit? Vera

Jesse won Beginners in an 8-way match a couple of weeks ago. I was well chuffed as the standard of the other 7 dogs (5 of which were collies) was very high, so it was a well earned win. Vera

I have a fantastic vet and all the vets he employes seem to be of the same mind as him. He is very knowledgeable, but with it prepared to learn and very co-operative when I have suggestions or have done my own research! I wouldn't change him for the world. 1) what makes one vet practice stand out from another and - friendly staff, knowledgeable vets, CO-OPERATIVE VETS 2) what would make you consider changing vets - horrible staff, a vet not treating my animals kindly, a vet that doesn't like certain animals (and shows it), a vet that isn't prepared to work with me or doesn't want to listen when I feel that something is wrong with my animals I have the following points to consider: A) Convenience - location and opening times - important, as if you can't get to a vet, it is of no use B) Sense of caring - very important, I have so many different animals, from mice to giant dogs. I need my vets to care about all of them, regardless of the species! C) Links with Animal Charities - it's nice, but not vital D) Parking availability - important as we have large dogs and couldn't get them to a surgery if we couldn't use a car E) Cheap prices - useful, but not vital, most of it is paid by insurance anyway. F) Friendliness of staff - important, particularly the vet needs to be friendly and helpful! G) In house facilities for operations - very useful, but I guess not absolutely vital if they can and do refer easily. H) The same vets - useful, not vital, though I'd want to have the possibility to ask for a particular vet if necessary! I) Ability of vets - of course important, but as long as a vet is prepared to learn and research, I can live with a less experienced, but keen to learn vet. J) Attracitiveness of waiting rooms - not important, though it helps if it is roomy, airy and warm K) Community Interest - i.e talks at shools etc. - helps, but not vital Are any of those in your top 3 for choosing or staying with your vet? If so which 3? (Just the letter will do) B, F, H and I (I know that's 4... ). Also are you able to say what would attrect you to move from the vet you currently use? - Nothing will make me move from my current vet as he is fab - unless there were some drastic changes that would mean that my animals wouldn't get the care they need from them or they would not be interested anymore in what I have to say! Vera

Dylan was called Paddy by the rescue which I didn't like. As he was a stray and only in rescue for some 10 days, he didn't recognise that name yet anyway, so the change to Dylan was no problem. Troy was already called Troy, I assume by his previous owners. It suited him and he responded well to it, so it stayed. Flash was called Barney. I didn't like Barney, particularly not together with our surname... I could just hear our vet called "Barmey Marney next please"... So he got changed to Flash without problems. Vera

But considering that it is just a package size change and not really a price increase... it might be worth sticking with them if it's a food that suits your dogs. I know how difficult it can be to feed dogs with allergies, I have two of them... Vera

I'm a bit confused... the food is only actually about 17 p more expensive per kilo now than before? If you take it to 10 kg before, it would have cost you £33.33, whereas now it is £35... Not an awful lot of difference really... If you get the 20kg now, although the initial outlay is obviously a bit more, it will last you a lot longer too though... It looks like they have just changed the size of the packaging, but the price is almost the same per kilo! So personally I can't see why you would need to change? Vera

Yes, Flash has a twin brother... Well, we don't know whether they are brothers, but they were both picked up as strays in roughly the same area and we think they are the same age (we can be fairly confident as they were both definitely under a year old when found). And they look almost identical... We found each other on the LurcherLink forum and are trying to meet up some day. Vera

Newest research indicates that older dogs may need more protein, not less, as their body needs to replace more cells. I therefore don't like low protein diets for older dogs. Our pyrenees (9 years old) is currently on Arden Grange Large Breed and our saluki lurcher (7 years old) on Arden Grange Salmon and Rice, both are around 25% and they both do very well on it. Vera

One of our dogs is a bit like that at times. Flash often takes himself upstairs on the doggie beds in our bedroom or in the hallway rather than hang around downstairs with the others and us. This habit is more pronounced when he is stressing about something. He does rest downstairs a lot more these days than he used to as he is generally more settled and relaxed. Vera

I'm very sorry to hear about Rolf. Run free at the Bridge, beautiful bunny.

Would you have a smaller crate that might fit? Just to get her used to the crate idea?

You might also want to give him some oats which can also help putting weight on a bunny.

Would the house be big enough to put the crate in it? That way you could get her used to it in her own time. Vera

My oldest bunny will be 10 in December :-) He is a bit skinner than he used to be, but fresh veg every day help keeping weight on him. You might want to think particularly about higher calory stuff like carrots as well. Other than the fact that he is pretty much totally deaf now, he is doing well and still quite active! He doesn't need any special care as such. Vera

Both Flash and Jesse had the bloods taken for allergy testing. Flash just for environmental allergies as we knew all about his food allergies. He came up with allergies to a couple of grasses, but nothing bad. His problem was that he'd sometimes have very itchy feet when coming home from the park. It appears though that this happens to many dogs, not just him. So we didn't pursue it any further. It happens very rarely now and when it does, he gets Tavergil, which is the canine equivalent to Piriton. Jesse on the other hand had the full set of tests done (food and environment) as his skin was really bad and I knew there was food involved, but I couldn't pinpoint what it was. He is also allergic to all sorts of other stuff, including housemites. You need to know however that blood tests are not 100% reliable, but they do give a good indication. Jesse hasn't been too bad since I have changed his diet. He has had a flare up a couple of weeks ago, but it wasn't the same problem than last time. A course of antibiotics has sorted this lots out without any problems. If the skin infections return again, then my next step will be thyroid test! Hormonal imbalances can cause major allergy issues too. Vera

Jesse was like that. He was mentally more mature at 10 weeks old than most dogs ever are! And he has stayed that way. He caused no real problems as a pup. Of course he tried things out, needed house training (which was actually the biggest problem for him, but still no issue really), needed constant watching when young etc. But as our other dogs did such a fabulous job with teaching him everything he needed to know as a dog, we had a very easy job and only needed to teach the specific dog/human relationship things! He only mouthed me once or twice and caught on immediately that human skin is too sensitive to mouth, he only chewed our furniture once and immediately understood that this wasn't what he was supposed to do (all without telling him off!), he always had amazing self control in most situations, from 8 weeks old, he had an amazing concentration span and I could clicker train him without the slightest problem for 10 or 15 minutes straight away without him showing any signs of tireing or getting distracted... Jesse is 2 years old now and mentally still the same mature and usually laid back chappy as he was at 10 weeks old... (though he has his moments too of course... ). Vera

Can't say that smell was a consideration when chosing our dogs... . Two of them were chosen based on a picture and descriptions from the rescue (Dylan and Flash, saluki lurchers), one of them was chosen by breed and description of the rescue (Troy, pyrenees) and one of them was chosen by breed and colour... (Jesse, American cocker). Vera

CONGRATULATIONS!

Jesse came 6th in Beginners today at St. Edwards...

Anyone going to St. Edwards on bank holiday Monday? I shall be there working Beginners again. Vera

Jesse came 4th in Beginners today in Ditton! Clever little sausage he is...

I don't wear cheese... but just follow the fish smell (Jesse is allergic to milk and lives on a fish diet... ). Oh, and he'll probably be the only ACS around... and certainly the only sable ACS. Just give us a shout if you spot us. Would be lovely to meet you. Vera

Well done with Jack, that's an excellent result! We have got our next show next Sunday at Ditton... We'll see how it goes. Vera

4 boy dogs... I guess that fairly representative of my preferences. No particular reason, I just seem to be more attracted to them than to bitches, but I wouldn't exclude having a bitch at some point in the future. Vera

To understand rescue dog behaviour, you would need to learn about general dog behaviour first. It's a bit like medicin... if you don't know what a healthy body looks like and how it functions, you won't be able to understand a sick body either... so if you don't know how a "normal" dog functions, you'll struggle to understand and help a "less normal" dog, e.g. traumatised or just under-socialised rescue dogs. I can understand that you don't want to go into the different doggie sports and that's not necessary, but you will need to learn about general dog behaviour - otherwise you won't understand why rescue dogs (as in the broadest generalisation possible!!!) are the way they are! Vera PS. I am studying at BB as well, having just finished the third year (and with that the Foundation Degree) and embarking on the degree following on from this! I can only recommend it.